New Report Finds More Than 24 Percent of All Children in Texas Don't Have Consistent Access to Meals
November 15 2007 - 2:00PM
PR Newswire (US)
America's Second Harvest Finds Texas Has Highest Rate of Children
Facing Hunger CHICAGO, Nov. 15 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- In Texas,
more than 24 percent of all children live in food insecure
households, which means they do not always know where they will
find their next meal. Texas and New Mexico have the highest rates
of child food insecurity in the nation. In the United States
overall, one out of six children in small towns and big cities
lives in a food insecure household. According to the United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA), 12 million children in the United
States live in this condition - unable to consistently access
nutritious and adequate amounts of food necessary for a healthy
life. That's enough children to fill every seat in all of the
professional league football, baseball, basketball and hockey
stadiums and every Division One NCAA basketball stadium across the
country at the same time. Now, for the first time, the extent of
child hunger as reported by the USDA has been examined by state in
a new study released today by America's Second Harvest--The
Nation's Food Bank Network and sponsored by ConAgra Foods
Foundation. In 12 states - nearly one quarter of the country - more
than 20 percent of the children live in households without
consistent access to food. "Next time you're in a classroom, look
around and think about what this means in these states with
particularly high numbers," said Vicki Escarra, president and CEO
of America's Second Harvest. "In some states this means four or
five students in a classroom of 20 kids do not consistently get the
nourishment they need to grow and thrive." Researcher John Cook,
Ph.D., of the Boston Medical Center and Boston University School of
Medicine, a nationally-recognized expert on child hunger, conducted
the analysis. The other states with child hunger rates above 20
percent are: California, Idaho, Kentucky, Mississippi, North
Carolina, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee and Utah. Washington, D.C.
also has a child food insecurity rate above 20 percent. "This study
shows pockets of vulnerability which will help America's Second
Harvest and the ConAgra Foods Foundation's 'Nourish Today, Flourish
Tomorrow' partnership develop an overall strategy to end child
hunger in America," said Escarra. "Identifying areas of greatest
need can help in targeting Food Stamp program outreach efforts,
placement of Kids Cafes and BackPack programs, grants and the
expansion of Summer Food Service program sites." "We hope this new
report is a wake-up call for all Americans," continued Escarra.
"The tragedy of child hunger in America, and the terrible toll it
exacts, cannot be overstated. This report shows that child hunger
is not a rare event - is not limited to the inner-city or
hardscrabble rural areas. Child hunger exists in every state, and
in nearly every community. We hope that people will be motivated to
help end this crisis." Child Food Insecurity in the United States:
2003 -- 2005 analyzes data collected by the United States
Department of Agriculture (USDA) Economic Research Service (ERS)
over a three-year period. The USDA has collected data on domestic
food insecurity since 1995, but has not analyzed it to determine
specifically the number of children living in food insecure
households by state. The state-by-state study was sponsored by the
ConAgra Foods Foundation as part of its "Nourish Today, Flourish
Tomorrow" program focused on child hunger and nutrition education.
ConAgra Foods is a major donor to America's Second Harvest, whose
network of food banks and food-rescue organizations serves 25
million Americans every year. The ConAgra Foods Foundation program
is the largest corporate initiative solely dedicated to fighting
hunger through America's Second Harvest. ConAgra Foods contributed
more than $20 million in funding to America's Second Harvest since
1999. The ConAgra Foods Foundation has donated eight trucks to
member food banks in Texas to help with the transportation of
donated food. They have provided grants to open 21 Kids Cafes in
the state, which are after-school programs that offer food and a
safe haven for children in need nationwide. "Child hunger affects
all of society. Children who aren't eating regularly and
healthfully have a tougher time in school, and don't develop and
grow as they should," said Chris Kircher, president of the ConAgra
Foods Foundation. "This study reminds us that child hunger is in
every community in this country and we can all help in some way to
alleviate this tragedy." "We hope that more people will do more to
help throughout the holiday season and all year long," said
Kircher. "People can donate funds and food to their local food
banks or they can volunteer at a food bank, Kids Cafe or Backpack
Program." "It is a real eye-opener to see that so many states have
such high rates of child food insecurity and hunger," said Dr.
Cook. "Lack of adequate and nutritious food can have devastating
effects on a child's development - both physically and mentally. If
a child is impaired at an early age, sometimes that damage can
never be reversed - and the child never becomes the adult that he
or she should and could have been, simply because he or she went
hungry as a child." To access the study, please go to:
http://www.secondharvest.org/learn_about_hunger/methodology.pdf. An
interactive map showing child food insecurity state by state is at:
http://www.secondharvest.org/childhunger. America's Second Harvest
-- The Nation's Food Bank Network is the largest charitable
domestic hunger-relief organization in the United States. Through
its network of more than 200 member food banks, America's Second
Harvest annually provides assistance to more than 25 million people
in need, including more than 9 million children and nearly 3
million seniors in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and
Puerto Rico. Each year, America's Second Harvest secures and
distributes more than 2 billion pounds of food and grocery products
to support feeding programs at approximately 50,000 local
charitable agencies, including food pantries, soup kitchens,
emergency shelters, after-school programs, and Kids Cafes. To learn
more, please visit http://www.secondharvest.org/. ConAgra Foods
Inc. (NYSE:CAG) is one of North America's largest packaged food
companies, serving consumer grocery retailers, as well as
restaurants and other foodservice establishments. Popular ConAgra
Foods consumer brands include Banquet, Chef Boyardee, Egg Beaters,
Healthy Choice, Hebrew National, Hunt's, Marie Callender's, Orville
Redenbacher's, PAM and many others. For more information, visit
http://www.conagrafoods.com/. ConAgra Foods Feeding Children Better
program is the nation's largest corporate initiative dedicated
solely to fighting child hunger. The Feeding Children Better
program has funded the startup of more than 250 new Kids Cafes,
supported technology and transportation programs for the America's
Second Harvest Network of food banks (including the purchase of 167
trucks for food banks), and sponsored the Ad Council child hunger
campaign. Feeding Children Better is funded by ConAgra Foods, Inc.,
one of North America's largest packaged food companies. For more
information, visit http://www.conagrafoods.com/ DATASOURCE:
America's Second Harvest CONTACT: Ross Fraser of America's Second
Harvest, +1-312-641-6422 Web Site: http://www.conagrafoods.com/
http://www.secondharvest.org/
Copyright
ConAgra Brands (NYSE:CAG)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jun 2024 to Jul 2024
ConAgra Brands (NYSE:CAG)
Historical Stock Chart
From Jul 2023 to Jul 2024